Third Economy :: VIA3 Ratings

Third Economy’s VIA3 framework rates mutual funds and ETF’s based on five different aspects of sustainability, making it the most comprehensive rating available. It allows you to incorporate sustainability as a meaningful factor into your portfolio asset allocation. See our Research.

Strong
Scores high and/or is better than comparative fund
Moderate
Scores medium and/or is in-line with comparative fund
Minor
Scores low and/or is below comparative fund

The VIA3 rating is calculated by assessing five criteria – Values, Impact, Analysis, Alignment and Activism – illustrated by the VIA3 compass. The overall score and each criterion are color coded into three tiers: Strong, Moderate, Minor.

Values: Avoids or directs investments based on moral principles of sustainability

Impact: Consequences to the environment and society

Analysis: ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) assessment in buying and selling portfolio securities

Alignment: Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Activism: Proxy voting and engagement to affect change and improve transparency

Do you have to give up financial performance to invest sustainably?

VIA3 addresses this question by compiling public sources of the funds financial return data to compare against a common index fund. We place a color-coded arrow over the five-year period (or three year if five is not available) to highlight at that point in time, if the fund performance is over, within or under the comparative index fund performance.

This portfolio-level data is updated quarterly.

Terms and Conditions

About VIA3

The VIA3 framework empowers all investors to align with the social and environmental factors that they care about most. Developed by leading institutional investors and academics, VIA3 delivers sustainability insights previously only available to the world's largest investors. VIA3 leads the way to a more sustainable portfolio and economy, a third economy.

Values: Are your investments aligned with your values, morals or ethics?
Do you want to avoid investments that contribute to climate change? How about directing your investments to promote social equality? The VIA3 Values rating assesses both the fund’s use of negative screening for moral or ethical reasons, historically known as Socially Responsible Investing (SRI), and the intentional inclusion of securities through positive tilting.
Impact: Every investment has an impact. Can you measure what it is?
The VIA3 Impact rating reflects to the extent that we can, the actual consequences on society and the environment, or “what” results from investing in this fund. We partnered with HIP Investor to identify impact metrics that help us understand the consequence’s the underlying investments may have on the environment or society through the provision of their products and services.
Analysis: Do Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors drive long-term financial performance?
As an investor you care about investment returns. The VIA3 Analysis score reflects "how" securities in the portfolio manage ESG considerations for long-term financial value creation. We partnered with HIP Investor to assess the ESG metrics with the most potential financial relevance, based on the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).
Alignment: Is the portfolio or firm supporting global sustainable development?
Do you care if the firm and portfolio support peace and prosperity through improved access to healthcare and education, reduced inequality and economic growth? The VIA3 Alignment score rates to what extent the fund manager and the fund contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Activism: Does the manager encourage more sustainable business practices?
How the fund manager votes proxies and engages with securities is becoming referred to as Investment Stewardship. The VIA3 Activism score rates the extent to which the manager engages and votes to encourage transparency and more sustainable practices.